Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to weather forecasting devices and more specifically it relates to an early warning tornado detector.
Current tornado prediction relies on radar, the echoes of which enable the forecaster to identify areas with clouds, to identify the nature of the cloud elements, to estimate the precipitation rate, and to detect the formation of a tornado, at most, 20 to 30 minutes before a funnel touches down.
The instant invention takes advantage of the fact that the atmospheric conditions required for the formation of a tornado include great thermal instability, high humidity, and the convergence of warm, moist air at low levels with cooler, drier air above. These conditions are associated with the presence of a characteristically high level of atmospheric negative ions (electrons). By utilizing a plurality of negative ion detectors, the instant invention enables the detection of tornadic meteorological conditions hours before funnel touchdown, a significant advantage over prior technology.